The Lower Saucon Planning Commission is questioning whether zoning should be changed to allow commercial development on property bordered by Friedensville, Meadows and Skibo roads.

One 23-acre parcel in the township has been proposed as the site of a 204-unit apartment complex.

Planning Commission members on Thursday said they decided to discuss rezoning after New Jersey-based developer Woodmont Properties proposed the 13-building complex during a February presentation before Township Council.

Current zoning allows for residential development on half-acre parcels, but does not permit high-density housing like the Woodmont project, zoning officer Chris Garges said.

Instead of only looking at zoning for that particular parcel, the Planning Commission decided to discuss the entire area bordered by Friedensville, Meadows and Skibo roads, which also includes the Coble Creek Court and Society Hill at Saucon Valley housing developments.

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"It's silly to look at just one piece of property. What would happen to the rest of the area?" Garges said.

The Planning Commission typically examines zoning every 10 years.

The last time Lower Saucon officials completed a comprehensive plan, which included zoning recommendations for the township, was in 2009, he said, adding the residential zoning for the area in question has been in place since the early 2000s.

The zoning recommendations discussed Thursday might allow for some light business, particularly along Friedensville Road, which already includes a fruit stand and bagel shop.

"I see commercial development along Friedensville Road, but not back into it. I'm not talking about businesses that are big-trip generators," commission member John Noble said.

The area could be granted limited commercial zoning, which allows for businesses on lots no bigger than 5 acres, he said. This would allow some retail and small business offices.

"If we stick with the [current zoning] we are potentially missing out on some commercial development," Noble said.

"Taxes are going up because we have no tax base," he said, noting new commercial development could provide additional tax revenue for the township.

But residents at Thursday's meeting voiced concerns about traffic on Friedensville and Meadows roads, particularly if apartments are allowed.

Traffic is already bad, even without high-density housing and businesses, they said.

"There are seven school buses that enter and exit from our development alone," said Society Hill resident Maxine DiMaggio. "It is a very dangerous area. There's school buses that stop right in the road to pick up students, and when there are events at Lehigh [University], forget it."

Residents said the proposal from Woodmont Properties is like a repeat of Phoebe Ministries, which had proposed a 350-unit continuing-care community for up to 500 residents on the same site in 2010.

Phoebe Ministries had requested township officials change the residential zoning in the area to allow for the development.

In 2011, Township Council voted against changing the zoning, and the project fizzled out.

"It seems like an ongoing battle. Why do they want to develop here? It's congested enough. I don't know why we can't just rezone it to open space," said resident MaryEllen Prager, as the crowd at Thursday's meeting applauded.

That particular 23-acre parcel is "most ripe" for development in the township, however, because it's flat and has the potential for sewer hookup, Garges said.

So far no official plans have been filed for Woodmont, and township officials haven't heard from the developer since February, Garges said.

Stephen Santola, the Woodmont Properties contact for the project, was unavailable for comment Friday.

If the apartment complex were allowed as proposed, it would require a change in zoning, Garges said.

Changing the zoning to allow for commercial development would not necessarily make zoning more restrictive than it already is for high-density housing, he said.

The Planning Commission is an advisory committee, which makes recommendations to Township Council.

The commission left the conversation open Thursday night and did not make any recommendations. Any recommendations they do make would need to be approved by the council, Garges said.